European Shipowners welcome addition of Indian yards to EU recycling list
YSI Recyclers LLP, one of the Indian yards which may be included on the European list (Source: YSI Recyclers LLP)
European Shipowners (ECSA) has welcomed a proposal by the European Commission to add two Indian facilities to the European List of Ship Recycling Facilities, describing the move as an important step towards expanding compliant recycling capacity available to European shipowners.
The inclusion of the yards would mark a significant development under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR), which governs where EU-flagged vessels can be recycled. ECSA said it had long advocated for the recognition of Indian facilities capable of meeting the regulation's environmental and safety requirements.
The organisation argued that the proposal carries wider significance beyond the immediate increase in approved recycling capacity, demonstrating that ship recycling facilities outside OECD countries can achieve compliance with EU standards and gain recognition on the European List.
Sotiris Raptis, secretary general of ECSA, said: "This is a long-awaited and very welcome step, which rewards the investments these yards have made to meet EU standards."
He added that expanding approved capacity would be important to the long-term effectiveness of the European regime and called for the updated list to be adopted without delay.
The announcement follows the publication in June 2026 of an independent study commissioned by ECSA and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) examining differences between the EU Ship Recycling Regulation and the IMO Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships.
The study highlighted progress made since the Convention entered force and identified the inclusion of compliant non-OECD recycling facilities on the European List as a priority issue for EU policymakers.
The proposed additions could help address concerns about available recycling capacity while supporting broader efforts to promote internationally recognised standards for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling.
